Electro-pneumatic converters and related methods

ABSTRACT

Example electro-pneumatic converters and related methods are disclosed herein. An example electro-pneumatic converter includes an axial passageway defined in a body between a first opening and a second opening. A supply port is formed by the first opening. The supply port is to receive pressurized fluid from a pressure supply source. The electro-pneumatic converter further includes an output port fluidly coupled to the axial passageway and a solenoid including a coil and an armature. The armature is disposed in and movable in the axial passageway. The armature is movable between a first position blocking the pressurized fluid from flowing through the axial passageway between the supply port and the output port and a second position allowing the pressurized fluid to flow through the axial passageway between the supply port and the output port.

RELATED APPLICATION

This patent arises from a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/491,533, titled “Electro-Pneumatic Converters and Related Methods,”filed Apr. 19, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to converters and, more particularly,to electro-pneumatic converters and related methods.

BACKGROUND

Control valves (e.g., sliding stem valves, rotary valves, axial flowvalves, globe valves, etc.) are commonly used in industrial processes,such as oil and gas pipeline distribution systems and chemicalprocessing plants, to control the flow of process fluids. These controlvalves are automated using a pressure-operated actuator that iscontrolled by a remote-operated field instrument. The field instrumentcommunicates with a process control computer to command fluid flowchanges within the valve to achieve a desired control strategy viapressure-operated actuators. Electro-pneumatic converters, such ascurrent-to-pressure transducers, are commonly used in field instrumentsto provide a conversion of an electrical signal to volumetric flow orpressure output to control the actuator and, thus, the control valve.

SUMMARY

An example electro-pneumatic converter disclosed herein includes anaxial passageway defined in a body between a first opening and a secondopening. A supply port is formed by the first opening. The supply portis to receive pressurized fluid from a pressure supply source. Theelectro-pneumatic converter further includes an output port fluidlycoupled to the axial passageway and a solenoid including a coil and anarmature. The armature is disposed in and movable in the axialpassageway. The armature is movable between a first position blockingthe pressurized fluid from flowing through the axial passageway betweenthe supply port and the output port and a second position allowing thepressurized fluid to flow through the axial passageway between thesupply port and the output port.

An electro-pneumatic converter disclosed herein includes a passagewaydefined in a body between a supply port and an exhaust port. The supplyport is to receive pressurized fluid from a supply pressure source andthe exhaust port is to be vented to atmosphere. The electro-pneumaticconverter includes an output port fluidly coupled to the passageway. Theelectro-pneumatic converter further includes an armature movable in thepassageway between the supply port and the exhaust port. The armature ismovable between a first positon blocking the pressurized fluid fromflowing in the passageway and creating a flow path between the outputport and the exhaust port, and a second positon blocking the exhaustport and creating a flow path for the pressurized fluid between thesupply port and the output port.

An example method disclosed herein includes applying, via a controller,a first current to a solenoid in an electro-pneumatic converter,reducing, via the controller, the first current to a second currentlower than the first current, and ceasing, via the controller, theapplication of the second current.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example electro-pneumaticconverter having an example armature in a first (closed) position.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the example electro-pneumaticconverter of FIG. 1 with the example armature in a second (open)position.

FIG. 3 is an example graph showing input current applied and outputpressure achieved with the example electro-pneumatic converter of FIG.1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example solenoid of the exampleelectro-pneumatic converter of FIGS. 1 and 2 having an example reliefpattern.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an example valve controllerimplementing the example electro-pneumatic converter of FIG. 1 tooperate an example actuator.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart representative of an example method that may beimplemented by an example controller to activate the exampleelectro-pneumatic converter of FIG. 1.

Certain examples are shown in the above-identified figures and describedin detail below. In describing these examples, like or identicalreference numbers are used to identify the same or similar elements. Thefigures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certainviews of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematicfor clarity and/or conciseness. Additionally, several examples have beendescribed throughout this specification. Any features from any examplemay be included with, a replacement for, or otherwise combined withother features from other examples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Electro-pneumatic converters (also referred to as electro-pneumatictransducers or latching pneumatic transducers) are used to convert anelectrical input signal into a pneumatic pressure signal. In someexamples, the electrical input signal is relatively small, such as onthe order of milliamperes. Electro-pneumatic converters are often usedin field instruments to provide a conversion of an electrical signal toa volumetric flow or pressure to control a process control device. Insome instances, the output pressure or flow is amplified (e.g., via arelay) and used to operate a process control device, such as anactuator, to change a position or state of a valve.

Known electro-pneumatic converters typically utilize a complex system ofpressure cavities, beams and nozzles to convert an electrical signalinto a pneumatic output signal. These systems are often large andrequire a relatively large amount of space to be implemented. Also, manyknown electro-pneumatic converters consume or bleed air constantlyduring operation, which is expensive and wasteful to the environment.

Disclosed herein are example electro-pneumatic converters havingoptimized geometry that are smaller and which consume less power thanknown converters. In general, the example electro-pneumatic convertersdisclosed herein are to be fluidly coupled between a supply pressuresource that supplies pressurized fluid and a downstream device, such asa pneumatic relay, that uses the pressurized fluid to control a processcontrol device (e.g., an actuator). The example electro-pneumaticconverters control the flow of the pressurized fluid between the supplypressure source and the downstream device. In particular, the exampleelectro-pneumatic converters operate between a closed state (sometimesreferred to as off or unlatched) and an open state (sometimes referredto as on or latching). In the closed state, no pressurized fluid isprovided to the downstream device. In the open state, an electricalsignal in the form of a current is applied to the electro-pneumaticconverter, which allows the flow of pressurized fluid to the downstreamdevice and, thus, converts an electrical input signal into a pneumaticpressure signal.

Example electro-pneumatic converters disclosed herein utilize a solenoidhaving a coil and a movable armature to control the flow of pressurizedfluid between a supply port and one or more output port(s). In someexamples, the electro-pneumatic converter includes an axial passagewaybetween the supply port and an exhaust port. The one or more outputports are fluidly coupled to the axial passageway and may be coupled toa downstream device, such as a pneumatic relay. The supply port is toreceive pressurized fluid from the pressure supply source. The armatureis disposed in and movable in the axial passageway between a firstposition blocking the pressurized fluid from flowing through the axialpassageway between the supply port and the output port(s) and a secondposition allowing the pressurized fluid to flow through the axialpassageway between the supply port and the output port(s). When thesolenoid is activated, the armature moves from the first position to thesecond positon to allow the pressurized fluid to flow to the outputport(s). In the first position, when the supply port is blocked, theexhaust port is unblocked and the output ports(s) are fluidly coupled tothe exhaust port (e.g., vented to atmosphere). In the second position,when the supply port is unblocked, the armature blocks the exhaust port,thereby enabling the pressurized fluid to flow from the supply port tothe output port(s). The solenoid can be activated and deactivated tomove the armature back-and-forth in the passageway between the first andsecond positions to control the flow of pressurized fluid to the outputport(s). This geometry enables the armature to travel a relatively smalldistance between the first (closed) and second (open) positions. Thus,the example electro-pneumatic converters can be constructed to have arelatively small size.

In some examples, after the armature has been moved to the second (open)position, the current applied to the coil of the solenoid is reduced andmaintained until the solenoid is to be deactivated. As a result, lesspower is used by the example converter to produce the same outputpressure. Thus, the example electro-pneumatic converters disclosedherein have reduced power consumption. The example electro-pneumaticconverters disclosed herein also have less bleed than knownelectro-pneumatic converters. In some instances, the exampleelectro-pneumatic converters disclosed herein may achieve less than 0.1square cubic feet per hour (SCFH) of air. As such, the exampleelectro-pneumatic converters disclosed herein are more efficient thanknown electro-pneumatic converters.

Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of anexample electro-pneumatic (I/P) converter 100 (referred to herein as theconverter 100) constructed in accordance with one or more principles ofthis disclosure. The example converter 100 converts an electrical inputsignal into a pneumatic output signal (e.g., a pressure signal) bycontrolling the flow of pressurized fluid through the converter 100. Insome examples, the pneumatic output signal is used to control a device,such as a pneumatic actuator for actuating a valve. In some examples,the pneumatic output signal is amplified via a pneumatic relay to ahigher pressure and/or volumetric flow rate, which is then supplied tothe actuator for actuating the valve, as disclosed in further detail inconnection with FIG. 4.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the converter 100 includes a body102 defining an axial passageway 104 extending between a first opening105 and a second opening 107. The first opening 105 is defined by asupply port 106 that is to be fluidly coupled to a supply pressuresource (e.g., plant air, process gas, etc.). In the illustrated example,two output ports 108 are fluidly coupled to the passageway 104. Theconverter 100 operates to block or allow fluid flow between the supplyport 106 and the output ports 108. The output ports 108 may be fluidlycoupled to a downstream device that receives the pressurized fluid,which is considered a pneumatic output signal.

To control the flow of fluid between the supply port 106 and the outputports 108, the example converter 100 includes a solenoid 110 having acoil 112 and a movable armature 114 (e.g., a plug or plunger). Thearmature 114 is disposed in and movable within the passageway 104between the first opening 105 and the second opening 107. The armature114 has a first side 116 (e.g., a top side) that faces the supply port106 and a second side 118 (e.g., a bottom side) that faces the solenoid110. The armature 114 is movable between a first position (shown in FIG.1, which may be referred to as an off position, a closed position or anunlatched position) in which the armature 114 blocks the flow ofpressurized fluid through the passageway 104 between the supply port 106and the output ports 108 and a second position (shown in FIG. 2, whichmay be referred to as an on position, an open position or a latchingposition) in which the armature 114 allows the flow of pressurized fluidthrough the passageway 104 between the supply port 106 and the outputports 108, as disclosed in further detail herein. In the illustratedexample of FIG. 1, a controller 120 is electrically coupled to the coil112 via wires 121. The controller 120 may activate the solenoid 110 byapplying a current to the coil 112, as disclosed in further detailherein.

In the illustrated example, the solenoid 110 includes a core 122, aroundwhich the coil 112 is wrapped, and a sleeve 124. The core 122 and thecoil 112 are disposed in the sleeve 124. The core 122 has a first side126 (e.g., a top side) and a second side 128 (e.g., a bottom side) thatform opposite sides of the solenoid 110. In the illustrated example, thesolenoid 110 is disposed in the passageway 104 near the second opening107. The solenoid 110 is disposed in a section of the passageway 104having a larger diameter than the section of the passageway 104 near thefirst opening 105. In some examples, the solenoid 110 is press fit intothe passageway 104 through the second opening 107. In the illustratedexample, a seal 130 is disposed between the solenoid 110 and an innerwall 131 of the passageway 104. The seal 130 forms a fluid tightinterface between the solenoid 110 and the body 102 and, thus, preventsthe flow of fluid around the solenoid 110. In the illustrated example, afirst side 133 of the sleeve 124 (e.g., a top side of the solenoid 110)is engaged with a wall 132 (e.g., a step) of the body 102 separating thesmaller and larger sections of the passageway 104. In other examples,the first side 133 of the sleeve 124 may be separated from the wall 132.For example, the solenoid 110 may be formed with a ridge or lip thatengages a corresponding lip formed on the inner wall 131 of thepassageway (e.g., near the second opening 107), which may beadvantageous during manufacturing and/or assembly. In the illustratedexample, the core 122 of the solenoid 110 includes an exhaust passageway134 between a first opening 136 (e.g., an exhaust port) in the firstside 126 of the core 122 and a second opening 138 in the second side 128of the core 122, disclosed in further detail herein.

In the illustrated example, a travel stop 140 is disposed in thepassageway 104 near the supply port 106. The travel stop 140 has atravel stop passageway 142 between a first opening 144 and a secondopening 146 in the travel stop 140. In the illustrated example, a seal148 is disposed between the travel stop 140 and the inner wall 131 ofthe passageway 104 to prevent leakage by the travel stop 140. Thus, theflow of pressurized fluid into the passageway 104 is controlled throughthe travel stop passageway 142. The travel stop 140 may be adjusted todifferent locations in the passageway 104 to adjust the flow rate whenthe converter 100 is open or on, as discussed in further details herein.In some examples, the travel stop 140 is maintained in the passageway104 via an interference fit. In other examples, travel stop 140 may bethreaded into the passageway 104. In such an example, the travel stop140 may be rotated in one direction or the other to adjust the locationof the travel stop 140 in the passageway 104. In the illustratedexample, the side of the travel stop 140 facing the armature 114 isconical-shaped. However, in other examples, the side of the travel stop140 may be shaped differently.

In the off or closed position illustrated in FIG. 1, the solenoid 110 isnot energized and the armature 114 is biased toward the supply port 106via a spring 150. In the illustrated example, the spring 150 is disposedbetween the armature 114 and the solenoid 110. An outer portion (e.g.,an outer circumference) of the spring 150 is captured between the sleeve124 (e.g., a notch in the first side 133 of the sleeve 124) and the wall132 of the body 102. An inner portion (e.g., an inner circumference) ofthe spring 150 is coupled to the armature 114 at or near the second side118 of the armature. In the illustrated example, the inner portion ofthe spring 150 is engaged with a flange 151 of the armature 114 near thesecond side 118 of the armature 114. The spring 150 biases the armature114 toward the travel stop 140. In the illustrated example, the spring150 is a conical tension spring. However, in other examples, other typesof springs may be implemented. Additionally, in other examples, thespring 150 may be disposed in other locations.

In the off or closed positon illustrated in FIG. 1, the armature 114blocks the flow of fluid from the supply port 106. More specifically,the armature 114 is engaged with the travel stop 140 and blocks thesecond opening 146, thereby blocking the flow of fluid through thetravel stop passageway 142. As such, the armature 114 blocks the flow ofpressurized fluid through the passageway 104 between the supply port 106and the output ports 108. Further, in the off or closed position, thearmature 114 is spaced apart from the first side 126 of the core 122(e.g., the top side of the solenoid 110). In this position, the exhaustpassageway 134 fluidly couples the passageway 104 to the atmosphere. Asa result, a flow path is defined between the output ports 108 andexhaust passageway 134 (i.e., the output ports 108 are vented toatmosphere). Fluid may flow from the output ports 108, around thearmature 114 (between the armature 114 and the inner wall 131 of thepassageway 104), through the spring 150, between the second side 118 ofthe armature 114 and the first side 126 of the core 122, and through theexhaust passageway 134 to atmosphere. Therefore, any positive pressureat the output ports 108 (and/or a fluid line coupled to the output ports108) is vented to atmosphere when the converter 100 is in the off orclosed position.

To supply fluid from the supply port 106 to the output ports 108 (e.g.,to generate a pneumatic output signal), the solenoid 110 may be turnedon or activated by applying a current to the coil 112. FIG. 2illustrates the example converter 100 when the solenoid 110 isactivated. The core 122 may be constructed of a ferrous material (e.g.,iron). The current in the coil 112 induces a magnetic field around thecore 122. The armature 114, which is constructed of a metallic material(e.g., iron), is attracted to the core 122 and moves toward the firstside 126 of the core 122. As a result, the armature 114 is moved awayfrom the second opening 146 of the travel stop 140 and, thus, thepressurized fluid can flow through the passageway 104 from the supplyport 106 to the output ports 108 (as shown by the arrows). Also, in theon or open positon, the second side 118 of the armature 114 is engagedwith the first side 126 of the core 122. In this position, the armature114 closes the first opening 136 and, thus, blocks the exhaustpassageway 134.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the armature 114 is movable along anaxis 152 of the passageway 104 between the first position, blocking thesupply port 106 (FIG. 1), and the second position, blocking the exhaustpassageway 134 (FIG. 2). The supply port 106 and the exhaust passageway134 are axially aligned with the passageway 104. This geometry enablesthe armature 114 to move a relatively small distance to control the flowof fluid through the converter 100. In particular, the armature 114moves a relatively small distance between the first position (FIG. 1)and the second position (FIG. 2). In some examples, the armature 114moves about 0.002 inches (in) (0.0508 millimeters (mm)). In otherexamples, the converter 100 may be designed such that armature 114 movesmore or less in the passageway 104. As such, less space is needed toaccommodate the armature travel and, thus, the converter 100 can besmaller than known converters. In some examples, the converter 100 isabout 1 in (25.4 mm) in length. Thus, the example converter 100 can beused in a wider range of applications.

In the illustrated example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the output ports 108 extendfrom the passageway 104 in a direction that is perpendicular to the axis152 of the passageway 104. In other examples, the output ports 108 maybe oriented at a different angle relative to the axis 152. In theillustrated example, the converter 100 includes two output ports 108,which are disposed on opposite sides of the passageway 104. In otherwords, the output ports 108 extend from the passageway 104 in opposingdirections. In some examples, by providing two opposing output flowpaths, the fluid flowing through the travel stop 140 and past thearmature 114 acts on the first side 116 (e.g., the top side) of thearmature 114 in a symmetrical manner. In other words, the force actingon the first side 116 of the armature 114 from the flowing fluid isbalanced. Otherwise, if only one output port is utilized, the fluid maybias the armature 114 to one side in the passageway 104, which, overtime, may cause the armature 114 to become misaligned. In otherexamples, the converter 100 may include more (e.g., three, four, etc.)or fewer (e.g., one) output ports and the output port(s) may be disposedin other locations and/or oriented in other directions. In theillustrated example of FIG. 1, the first side 116 of the armature 114 isrelatively flat or planar. As a result, if the armature 114 is movedlaterally in the passageway 104 (toward the inner wall 131), the firstside 116 of the armature 114 may still block the second opening 146 ofthe travel stop 144 when the armature 114 is moved back to the firstposition. In other examples, the first side 116 of the armature may beshaped differently.

The flow rate of the converter 100 can be changed by adjusting theposition of the travel stop 140 in the passageway 104. For instance, ifthe travel stop 140 is moved further into the passageway 104 toward thesolenoid 110, less space is created between the travel stop 140 and thearmature 114 when the armature 114 moves to the second position (FIG.2). As a result, the flow rate is decreased. On the other hand, if thetravel stop 140 is moved away from the solenoid 110 in the passageway104, then more space is created between the travel stop 140 and thearmature 114 when the armature 114 moves to the second position (FIG.2). As a result, the flow rate is increased. Thus, the example converter100 can be easily calibrated to achieve a desired flow rate (e.g., whichmay correspond to the pneumatic output signal) by adjusting the positionof the travel stop 140.

Once the desired pressure at the output ports 108 is reached, thecontroller 120 may deactivate the solenoid 110 by ceasing theapplication of the current to the coil 112, which allows the armature114 to move (e.g., via the spring 150) back to the first position(FIG. 1) and block the flow of fluid to the output ports 108. Further,the exhaust passageway 134 is opened. As a result, any pressure at theoutput ports 108 is vented to atmosphere through the exhaust passageway134. In some examples, the controller 120 may apply a reverse current tothe coil 112, which creates an electromagnetic field in the oppositedirection that repels or pushes the armature 114 toward the travel stop140. The converter 100 may be activated and deactivated relativelyquickly (e.g., via pulses of current) to produce small pneumatic outputsignals (e.g., pulses of air) at the output ports 108.

In the off or closed position (FIG. 1), the armature 114 substantiallyblocks the flow of pressurized fluid into the passageway 104. In someinstances, only a relatively small amount of fluid is leaked into thepassageway 104. In some examples, the converter 100 achieves an airconsumption of less than 0.1 square cubic feet per hour (SCFH) of air at20 pounds-per-square-inch (PSI). Thus, compared to knownelector-pneumatic converters, the example converter 100 results insignificantly less wasted bleed air.

In the illustrated example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the converter 100 includesseals 154 (e.g., o-rings) disposed around the body 102 near the outputports 108. The seals 154 may be used to fluidly seal the converter 100in a bore or passageway of a controller, such as the valve controller400 discussed in further detail in connection with FIG. 4 below.

In some examples, the controller 120 initially applies a higher currentto the coil 112 to move the armature 114 to the second position (FIG. 2)and then reduces the current to a lower current. Once the armature 114is moved closer to the core 122, less magnetic force is needed to keepthe armature 114 in the second position. Thus, less current is needed togenerate a magnetic field sufficient to hold the armature 114 in place.Therefore, the controller 120 reduces the current once the armature 114is moved to the second positon and, thus, reduces the total powerconsumed by the converter 100.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example graph 300 showing the applied current (topgraph) and the corresponding pneumatic output (lower graph) produced bythe example converter 100. As illustrated, when turning on the converter100, the controller 120 applies a higher current to the coil 112 to movethe armature 114 toward the solenoid 110 to overcome the bias of thespring 150. Once the armature 114 moves to the second position (FIG. 2),the flow path between the supply port 106 and the output ports 108 isopened, and a steady pneumatic output pressure is produced. Then, theapplied current may be reduced. As mentioned above, once the armature114 is near the core 122, the attractive force is stronger between thecore 122 and the armature 114, so a lower magnetic field can be used tomaintain the armature 114 in place. In some examples, the higher currentis applied only for a period of time until the armature 114 is at ornear the core 122, at which point the current can be reduced. Byreducing the current, less energy is used to operate the exampleconverter 100. In particular, even when the current is reduced, theoutput pressure remains constant. Thus, the example converter 100 ismore energy efficient than known converters that apply the same highcurrent throughout activation. In some examples, the high current signalis about 3 milliamperes and the low current signal is about 1millliampere. The current may then be ceased, which causes the converter100 to close and cease producing a pneumatic output pressure. Therefore,the converter 100 operates between three power states (off, highcurrent, and low current) to produce two pneumatic output states (on oroff).

In the illustrated example of FIG. 2, when the armature 114 is in thesecond positon, the second side 118 of the armature 114 is engaged withthe first side 126 of the core. In this position, a pressuredifferential is formed that biases the armature 114 toward the solenoid110 (into the second position). In particular, the pressure of the fluidin the passageway 104 acts on the first side 116 (e.g., the top side)and the lateral sides of the armature 114, thereby forcing the armature114 toward the solenoid 110, and the pressure in the exhaust passageway134 (e.g., atmospheric pressure) acts on a relatively small area on thesecond side 118 (e.g., the bottom side) of the armature 114, therebyforcing the armature 114 in the opposite direction. In some instances,if the spring 150 does not produce enough counter force on the armature114 to overcome the pressure of the fluid in the passageway 104 actingon the armature 114, the armature 114 may remain stuck in the secondposition even after the solenoid 110 is deactivated. In other words,when the solenoid 110 deactivated and the armature 104 is in the secondposition (FIG. 2), the pressure of the fluid in the passageway 104acting on the first side 116 and the lateral sides of the armature 104may be greater than the combined force of the spring 150 and thepressure in the exhaust passageway 134 acting on the second side 118 ofthe armature. As a result, this pressure difference maintains thearmature 114 in the second position against the bias of the spring 150.Therefore, in some examples, a relief pattern may be used to enable thehigher pressure air in the passageway 104 to act on the second side 118of the armature, such that the pressure acting on all of the sides ofthe armature 114 is substantially balanced. This enables a relativelysmaller, lighter spring 150 to be used.

For example, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the solenoid 110 withoutthe sleeve 124 (FIG. 1). In the illustrated example, a relief pattern400 is formed on the first side 126 of the core 122. The relief pattern400 includes a series of grooves that form passageways between thesecond side 118 of the armature 114 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and the first side126 of the core 122 when the armature 114 is in contact with the secondside 126 of the core 122. In the illustrated example of FIG. 4, therelief pattern 400 includes a ring 402 and a plurality of lines 404intersecting the ring 402 and extending radially outward. The lines 404extend outward beyond a diameter of the second side 118 of the armature114. As such, when the armature 114 is in contact with the first side126 of the core, fluid from the passageway 104 (FIG. 2) can flow intothe lines 404 and the ring 402. Thus, the pressure acting on thearmature 114 from the passageway 104 is more balanced on all sides ofthe armature 114. As a result, a lighter, smaller spring 150 may beimplemented, which decreases the overall weight, the size and the costof the converter 100.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 4, the relief pattern 400 (includingthe ring 402 and the lines 404) is centered around (but not in contactwith) the first opening 136 of the exhaust passageway 134 (FIG. 2). Inother examples, the relief pattern 400 may be include more or fewergrooves and the groove(s) may be arranged in other designs or patterns.In other examples, no relief pattern may be used. Instead, a relativelystronger spring may be used that provides sufficient force to overcomethe pressure acting on the armature 114. Also shown in FIG. 4 are thewires 112 (one of which is reference in FIG. 4) that connect the coil112 to the controller 120 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

FIG. 5 illustrates an example valve controller 500 (e.g., a positioner)in which the example converter 100 may be implemented. In theillustrated example, the valve controller 500 controls an actuator 502for operating a valve 504 that is installed in a fluid process system506 (e.g., a distribution piping system) of a processing system orplant. In the illustrated example, the valve controller 500 has beencross-sectioned and is not to scale with respect to the actuator 502 andthe valve 504. The valve controller 500 supplies high pressure fluid tothe actuator 502 to operate the valve 504 (e.g., by moving a valvestem). In the illustrated example, the valve controller 500 includes anamplifier or relay 508. The converter 100 produces a pneumatic outputsignal, which is amplified by the relay 508 and provided to the actuator502 for operating the valve 504 (e.g., opening or closing the valve504).

In the illustrated example, the converter 100 is disposed within a bore510 defined in a body 512 (e.g., a housing) of the valve controller 500.The seals 154 provide a fluid tight seal between the body 102 of theconverter 100 and the body 512 of the valve controller 400.

Further, the seals 154 define an annulus fluidly connecting the outputports 108 to a passage 524, discussed in further detail herein. In theillustrated example, the body 512 of the valve controller 400 includes apassageway 514 that fluidly couples a supply pressure source 516 (e.g.,a low pressure source) to the supply port 106 of the converter 100. Theconverter 100 converts an electrical input signal into a pneumaticoutput signal by enabling the pressurized fluid to flow from the supplypressure source 516 through the converter 100 to the output ports 108.The supply pressure source 516 may be, for example, plant air (e.g.,compressed fluid, such as air or natural gas, distributed through aprocessing plant), pressurized fluid from the fluid process system 506,and/or pressurized fluid any other source of fluid. In some examples,the supply pressure source 516 is drawn from the high pressure supply544 disclosed below and regulated to a relatively lower pressure.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 5, the output ports 108 are fluidlycoupled to an actuator 518 of the relay 508. The actuator 518 includes achamber 520 and a piston 522 disposed in the chamber 520. A passageway524 fluidly couples the output ports 108 to a first side 526 of thechamber 520 on one side of the piston 522. A second side 528 of thechamber 520 is vented to atmosphere. When pressurize is supplied to thefirst side 526 of the chamber 520, the piston 522 is moved downward inFIG. 5.

In the illustrated example, the piston 522 is coupled to a plug 530(e.g., a flow control member) via a stem 532. The plug 530 is movabletoward and away from a seat 534. In the illustrated example, the seat534 is disposed around an orifice 536 between a relay input chamber 538and a relay output chamber 540. The relay input chamber 538 is fluidlycoupled via a passageway 542 to a high pressure supply 544, and therelay output chamber 540 is fluidly coupled via a passageway 546 to theactuator 502. The high pressure supply 544 may be, for example, plantair (e.g., compressed fluid, such as air or natural gas, distributedthrough a processing plant), pressurized fluid from the fluid processsystem 506, and/or pressurized fluid any other source of fluid source.The plug 530 is movable between a first position in which the plug 530is engaged with the seat 534 and blocks the flow of pressurized fluidbetween the relay input chamber 538 and the relay output chamber 540 anda second positon in which the plug 530 is moved away from the seat 534and pressurized fluid can flow from the relay input chamber 538 to therelay output chamber 540 and, thus, to the actuator 502. The relay 508includes a return spring 548 to bias the plug 530 to the first or closedposition. In the illustrated example, the return spring 548 is disposedin the relay input chamber 538. However, in other examples, the returnspring 548 may be disposed in other locations.

Described below is an example operation to supply high pressure fluid tothe actuator 502 using the example valve controller 500. First, thecontroller 120 receives a pressure command (e.g., from a control room)and activates the converter 100 by applying a current (e.g., anelectrical input signal) to the solenoid 110. When activated, thesolenoid 110 creates a magnetic field that attracts the armature 114,which moves the armature 114 away from the travel stop 140 (asillustrated in the position in FIG. 2). As a result, pressurized fluidfrom the supply pressure source 516 flows through the passageway 104(FIG. 1) in the converter 100 between the supply port 106 and the outputports 108. The pressurized fluid flows through the passageway 524 to thefirst side 526 of the chamber 520 of the actuator 518. The higherpressure in the first side 526 of the chamber 520 causes the piston 522to move downward in FIG. 5. As a result, the plug 530 is moved away fromthe seat 534, which enables high pressure fluid to flow from the highpressure supply 544 to the actuator 502.

When the desired pressure is reached and/or the actuator 502 is to bestopped, the controller 120 deactivates the solenoid 110 by ceasing theapplication of current to the solenoid 110. As a result, the spring 150(FIG. 1) moves the armature 114 back into engagement with the travelstop 140 (FIG. 1), which blocks the flow of fluid through the passageway104 (FIG. 1) between the supply port 106 and the output ports 108, asillustrated in the position shown in FIG. 1. The passageway 104 (FIG. 1)fluidly couples the output ports 108 to the first opening 136 (e.g., theexhaust port) (FIG. 1) in the core 122 (FIG. 1). Thus, the pressurizedfluid in the passageway 524 (and the first side 526 of the chamber 520)is vented to atmosphere. As a result, the pressures in the first side526 and the second side 528 of the chamber 520 stabilize, and the returnspring 548 moves the plug 530 back into the first position in engagementwith the seat 534, thereby blocking the flow of high pressure fluid tothe actuator 502. Thus, the converter 100 converts a relatively smallelectrical input signal (e.g., 1-3 milliamperes) into a pneumatic outputsignal (at the output ports 108), which is then amplified and used tocontrol the actuator 502. The converter 100 can be turned on and offrelatively quickly to provide small increments of pressurized fluid tothe actuator 502, which enables relatively high precision of actuation.

In some examples, one converter and relay are used to supply highpressure fluid to the actuator 502 to operate the valve 504 in onedirection (e.g., to open the valve 504), and a separate converter andrelay are used to relieve the high pressure fluid from the actuator 502to operate the valve 504 in the opposite direction (e.g., to close thevalve 504). The relief converter and relay may be configured similar tothe converter 100 and relay 508 in FIG. 5. However, the relay inputchamber 538 is instead vented to atmosphere. As such, when the converter100 opens the relay 508 (by moving the plug 530 away from the seat 534),the high pressure fluid in the relay output chamber 540 (from theactuator 502) is to vented to atmosphere, thereby relieving the pressurein the actuator 502 and enabling the valve 504 to be operated in theother direction.

In some examples, the controller 120 controls both converters. In otherexamples, separate controllers may be implemented to control therespective converters.

While in the illustrated example of FIG. 5 the converter 100 and therelay 508 are integrated into the same body 512, in other examples theconverter 100 and the relay 508 may be disposed in separate bodies andfluidly coupled via one or more conduits. In the illustrated example,the body 512 is constructed of multiple bodies or housings that arecoupled together. In other examples, the body 512 may be a substantiallyunitary part or component.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart representative of an example method that may beperformed by the example controller 120 for activating the converter 100and converting an electrical input signal into a pneumatic outputsignal. At block 600 the controller 120 receives a desired pressureand/or position to be achieved. For example, the controller 120 mayreceive a desired pressure to be supplied to the actuator 502 (foractuating the valve 504) and/or may receive a desired position of theactuator 502 and/or the valve 504. At block 602, the controller 120determines an amount of time to activate the converter 100 to reach thedesired pressure and/or position. At block 604, the controller 120applies a first current to the coil 112 of the solenoid 110. As such,the controller 120 opens the converter 100 by activating the solenoid110, which moves the armature 114 away from the travel stop 140 andenables pressurized fluid (e.g., a pneumatic output signal) to besupplied to the output ports 108. In some examples, the first current isapplied for a predetermined period of time. For example, as illustratedin FIG. 3, a higher current (e.g., at or near max) may be applied to thecoil 112 for a period of time (e.g., the time it takes until thearmature 114 is in the second position (FIG. 2)). Then, at block 606,the controller 120 reduces the applied current from the first current toa second current, which is lower than the first current. For example,referring back to FIG. 3, the applied current is reduced to a second,lower current. The second current is sufficient to maintain the armature114 in the open position and enable fluid to flow to the output ports108. As illustrated in FIG. 3, even when the current is reduced, theoutput pressure remains constant.

At block 608, the controller 120 determines whether the amount of timehas lapsed since the converter 100 was activated (opened, unlatched,etc.) at block 604. If the amount of time has not lapsed, the controller120 continues to apply the second current to the coil 112, whichmaintains the converter 100 in the open state. Once the controller 120determines the amount of time has lapsed, at block 608, the controller120 deactivates the solenoid 110 by ceasing the application of thesecond current to the coil 112, at block 610. In some examples, thecontroller 120 applies another current (e.g., a third current) in thereverse direction to the coil 112 to move the armature 114 back to thefirst position (the closed position). In some examples, after ceasingactivation of the solenoid 110, the controller 120 determines whetherthe desired pressure and/or position has been reached. If not, theexample process of FIG. 6 may begin again. Additionally oralternatively, if the controller 120 receives a new desired pressureand/or position, the example process of FIG. 6 may begin again. Thus,the example process of FIG. 6 may be repeated any number of times. Inother examples, the controller 120 may activate or move the converter100 to the open state and monitor the pressure and/or position. Once thedesired pressure and/or position is reached, the controller 120 maydeactivate or more the converter 100 to the closed state. The exampleprocess may be used to supply pressure to an actuator or relievepressure from an actuator, depending on the setup of the relay, asdisclosed above in connection with FIG. 5.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the above disclosedelectro-pneumatic converters reduce power consumption by employing amore efficient geometry than known converters. In particular, thearmature is arranged to move in a linear direction, which enables arelatively small movement (e.g., about 0.002 in) to open and close theconverter. Additionally, the geometry allows for simpler assembly andcalibration. For example, the flow rate of the example converter can beeasily adjusted by moving the travel stop in the passageway. Further,the armature is arranged such that the current applied to the solenoidcan be reduced while the converter remains open. Thus, the exampleconverters use less power than known converters. Moreover, with areduced armature travel distance, the example converters can have arelatively small dimensional envelope. In some examples, the convertermay be less than 1 in in length (e.g., from the first opening 105 to thesecond opening 107). The example converters disclosed herein also haveless bleed than known converters.

Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacturehave been disclosed herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is notlimited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods,apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope ofthe claims of this patent.

What is claimed is:
 1. A valve controller comprising: a relay including:a piston disposed in a chamber; a seat disposed in a flow path between ahigh pressure supply and an actuator for a valve; and a plug coupled tothe piston, the plug moveable toward or away from the seat to control aflow of high pressure fluid to the actuator; a controller body having afirst passageway to be fluidly coupled to a supply pressure source and asecond passageway fluidly coupled to the chamber; and anelectro-pneumatic converter disposed in the controller body between thefirst passageway and the second passageway, the electro-pneumaticconverter including: a converter body defining an axial passagewaybetween a first opening and a second opening, a supply port formed bythe first opening and fluidly coupled to the first passageway; an outputport fluidly coupling the axial passageway and the second passageway;and a solenoid including a coil and an armature, the armature disposedin and movable in the axial passageway, the armature movable between afirst position blocking pressurized fluid from flowing from the supplypressure source to the chamber, and a second position allowing thepressurized fluid to flow from the supply pressure source to the chamberto move the piston, thereby moving the plug relative to the seat.
 2. Thevalve controller of claim 1, wherein the relay includes a return springto bias the plug toward the seat.
 3. The valve controller of claim 1,wherein the second passageway is fluidly coupled to a first side of thechamber, and a second side of the chamber is vented to atmosphere. 4.The valve controller of claim 1, wherein the flow path and the chamberof the relay are defined in the controller body.
 5. The valve controllerof claim 1, wherein the controller body has a bore between the first andsecond passageways, the electro-pneumatic converter disposed in thebore.
 6. The valve controller of claim 5, further including a sealdisposed between the converter body and an inner wall of the bore tofluidly seal the electro-pneumatic converter in the bore.
 7. The valvecontroller of claim 1, wherein the solenoid is disposed in the axialpassageway near the second opening, the solenoid including a coilwrapped around a core, an exhaust passageway formed through the core,the exhaust passageway fluidly coupling the axial passageway toatmosphere when the armature is in the second position.
 8. The valvecontroller of claim 7, wherein the exhaust passageway is axially alignedwith the axial passageway.
 9. The valve controller of claim 7, wherein,in the first position, the armature is spaced apart from the core and aflow path is defined between the output port and the exhaust passagewayand, in the second position, the armature is engaged with the core andblocks the exhaust passageway.
 10. The valve controller of claim 1,wherein the output port extends from the axial passageway in a directionthat is perpendicular to the axial passageway.
 11. The valve controllerof claim 1, wherein the output port is a first output port, and whereinthe electro-pneumatic converter includes a second output port extendingfrom the axial passageway in a direction opposite to the first outputport.
 12. The valve controller of claim 1, further including anelectronic controller to activate the solenoid, wherein, when thesolenoid is activated, the armature is moved to the second position, andwhen the solenoid is deactivated, the armature is moved to the firstposition.
 13. The valve controller of claim 12, wherein the electroniccontroller is to activate the solenoid by applying a first current tothe coil for a period of time and then applying a second current to thecoil, the second current less than the first current.
 14. A controllerfor operating an actuator, the controller comprising: a relay including:a first body defining a relay input chamber to be fluidly coupled to ahigh pressure supply and a relay output chamber to be fluidly coupled tothe actuator, the first body further defining a piston chamber; a seatdisposed around an orifice between the relay input chamber and the relayoutput chamber;. a plug movable relative to the seat to control a flowof high pressure fluid to the actuator; and a piston disposed in thepiston chamber, the piston coupled to the plug; and an electro-pneumaticconverter including: a second body defining a passageway between asupply port and an exhaust port, the supply port to receive pressurizedfluid from a supply pressure source and the exhaust port to be vented toatmosphere; an output port fluidly coupling the passageway and thepiston chamber of the relay; and an armature movable in the passagewaybetween the supply port and the exhaust port, the armature movablebetween a first position blocking the pressurized fluid from flowing inthe passageway and creating a flow path between the output port and theexhaust port, and a second position blocking the exhaust port andcreating a flow path for the pressurized fluid between the supply portand the output port, thereby enabling the pressurized fluid to flow intothe piston chamber to move the piston and the plug.
 15. The controllerof claim 14, wherein the first body includes a bore, theelectro-pneumatic converter disposed in the bore of the first body. 16.The controller of claim 14, wherein the output port extends from thepassageway in a direction that is perpendicular to an axis of thepassageway.
 17. The controller of claim 14, wherein the output port is afirst output port, and wherein the electro-pneumatic converter includesa second output port extending from the passageway in a directionopposite to the first output port.
 18. The controller of claim 14,wherein the piston divides the piston chamber into a first portion and asecond portion, the first portion fluidly coupled to the output port ofthe electro-pneumatic, the second portion vented to atmosphere.
 19. Thecontroller of claim 14, wherein the electro-pneumatic converter includesa solenoid including a coil wrapped around a core, and wherein theexhaust port is formed in the core.
 20. The controller of claim 14,wherein the electro-pneumatic converter includes a travel stop disposedin the passageway near the supply port, a travel stop passageway definedthrough the travel stop, and wherein, in the first position, thearmature is engaged with the travel stop to block the pressurized fluidfrom flowing through the travel stop passageway and, in the secondposition, the armature is spaced apart from the travel stop to allow thepressurized fluid to flow through the travel stop passageway.